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New Delhi: In an apparent targeted attack, two youth from Punjab were gunned down by unidentified persons in southeast Edmonton, Canada, early on Friday. After the news of the killings, a pall of gloom as descended on their home villages in Punjab’s Mansa district. The attack has sparked concern across the Punjabi diaspora.
The killings have prompted the local police unit to launch a probe into the suspected “targeted” attack, the Edmonton Police Service said in a release.
The victims have been identified as Gurdeep Singh (27) from Barre and Ranvir Singh (19) from Uddat Saidewala villages in Punjab’s Mansa district. They were reportedly on their way to attend a friend’s birthday party when they were shot dead. Both had moved to Canada at different times over the past two years.
The Edmonton Police Service said it received reports of gunshots around 1.43 am on December 12 in the vicinity of 32 Street and 26 Avenue. The officers responded to the reports and swung into action. On reaching the spot, they “located two males believed to be in their 20s suffering from gunshot wounds”. The EPS added that its officers tried lifesaving efforts until an emergency medical team arrived and took over. “Sadly, both men were pronounced dead at the scene,” the release said.
Police have classified the attack as a targeted shooting and handed over the investigation to the homicide unit. Authorities said the attack does not appear to have been random, though no motive has been revealed so far. Autopsies are scheduled for December 16 and 17.
Police are hunting for a sports utility vehicle (SUV) that was likely in the area at the time of the incident. Investigators have asked the public to share any dashcam footage recorded between 2 pm on Thursday and 2.30 am on Friday (Canadian time), the EPS said.
Gurdeep had gone to Canada in 2023 and was waiting for work permit after completing his studies. Ranvir had gone there last year for his studies in the hopes of securing an employment opportunity in the United States, their families said.
The relatives said they were informed about the incident by a friend, who said both men were on their way to meet friends when unidentified assailants opened fire on their vehicle.
Gurdeep’s family suspected that the crime was a case of mistaken identity the SUV in which they were shot belonged to another Punjabi youth and that they had just entered the vehicle when the assailants opened fire, Hindustan Times reported. He is survived by his wife and parents.
Reports said that Ranvir was a bright commerce student in his hometown and had enrolled in an accountancy course. It is believed that on December 10, he had attended a job counselling session, after which he was invited by one of his friends in Calgary to attend a birthday bash in Edmonton.
